Noah writes practical guides for Next.js deploys, AI self-hosting (Ollama, n8n), and PaaS panels like Coolify and Dokploy. His focus is getting apps from git clone to HTTPS with the fewest moving parts.
What Coolify gives you
Coolify turns a VPS into a small Heroku-like panel: git deploys, databases, TLS, and dockerized apps with a web UI. Ideal when you outgrow manual PM2/Nginx but do not want a full Kubernetes cluster.
Run it on OrbitHost KVM NVMe in Frankfurt or Amsterdam so EU apps stay close to users.
Prepare Ubuntu 24.04
Start from a clean VPS, update packages, and open HTTP/S plus SSH. Coolify’s UI port may be used during setup — follow current upstream docs for the exact port map.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl wget git
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw enableInstall Docker (recommended)
Install Docker Engine + Compose using the official apt repo so Coolify’s containers run on a known-good runtime. Reboot if the kernel updated.
# See also: install-docker-ubuntu-24-vps on the OrbitHost blog
sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] \
https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME") stable" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin
sudo systemctl enable --now dockerRun the Coolify installer
Coolify publishes an install script that bootstraps the platform containers. Always prefer the URL from coolify.io docs for your version — scripts evolve.
curl -fsSL https://cdn.coollabs.io/coolify/install.sh | bash
# follow on-screen URL (often http://YOUR_IP:8000) to create the admin userFirst project checklist
Add your server (localhost on single-node), connect a Git repo, set env vars, and attach a domain. Issue TLS from the UI once DNS A records point at the VPS.
Deploy a simple static or Next.js app before migrating production databases — learn the UI failure modes on something disposable.
- Use strong admin password + 2FA if offered
- Restrict SSH keys on the VPS
- Pin app image/versions where possible
- Separate staging and production projects
Resources and backups
Coolify itself is a set of containers — leave headroom. Back up Coolify’s data volumes and each app’s databases on a schedule independent of the panel.
docker ps --format 'table {{.Names}}\t{{.Status}}\t{{.Ports}}'
docker system df
# schedule volume backups with restic/borg or provider snapshots if availableWhen to choose Compose instead
If you have one long-lived stack and hate panels, raw Compose may be less magic. Coolify wins when you deploy many apps or non-ops teammates need buttons.
Compare with Dokploy on `/vps-for-dokploy` if you are panel shopping — same OrbitHost VPS class either way.
Related products
FAQ
How much RAM does Coolify need?
Plan at least 2–4 GB for Coolify itself plus whatever your apps need. 8 GB is a comfortable all-in-one for a few small services.
Coolify vs Dokploy?
Both are self-hosted PaaS panels on Docker. Pick based on UX preference and features you need; hardware requirements are similar.
Do I still need Nginx on the host?
Coolify manages reverse proxying for deployed apps. You generally do not run a separate host Nginx for those same hostnames.
Can I install without Docker pre-installed?
The installer can set up Docker. Pre-installing Engine yourself is fine and matches our Docker guide for auditability.